Overshoe rack



Oct. 30, 1962 c. B. DUGGAN 3,061,108

OVERSI-IOE RACK Filed Feb. 20, 1961 INVENTOR 64$ /3 m United States Patent 3,061,108 OVERSHOE RACK Charles B. Duggan, 160 John St., Weston, Ontario, Canada Filed Feb. 20, 1961, Ser. No. 90,274 4 Claims. (Cl. 211-37) This invention relates to overshoe racks and more particularly to overshoe racks adapted to permit drying of wet or snowy overshoes.

It is conventional practice to provide overshoe racks with a plurality of layers, this method having the disadvantage that water dripping from shoes placed on an upper layer is liable to drip within shoes placed at a lower level.

Other types of racks provide appendages for hanging overshoes therefrom and they are built in a more or less vertical manner whereby a substantially tall vertical rack device is provided. The unsightly appearance provided by a substantially tall shoe rack in an entrance hall or the like is a general disadvantage with this type.

It is an object of this invention to provide an overshoe rack hereafter called rack which will provide a maximum area for overshoes in a minimum of floor space.

It is another object of this invention to provide a rack which will permit natural drainage of water from the surface of an overshoe placed thereon.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a rack which will allow circulation about each overshoe placed thereon thus reducing the drying time required.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a rack which will accommodate various styles and types of overshoes.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a rack which will be light in construction and thus easily portable for storage when not required.

These and other objects and features of this invention will become apparent when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

The sole drawing is a perspective view of a rack embody this invention.

Referring to the drawing, a rack shown generally at comprises an open framework formed into a generally prisrnoidal configuration.

Rack 10 is fabricated from two types of support members which are vertical members 11 and horizontal members 12.

Vertical members 11 have an inverted V configuration and have the lower legs thereon formed upwardly and outwardiy to provide a plurality of secondary support members 13.

Support members 11 and secondary support members 13 are held in parallel, spaced apart relationship by horizontal members 12 which are rigidly attached to vertical members 11 at points of intersection.

Horizontal members 12 are placed across secondary supports 13 whereby one leg of vertical members 11 and the adjacent secondary support 13 form a V-shaped configuration adapted to receive and retain overshoes placed thereon.

An upper horizontal member 14 is located at apices of support members 11 and has two free ends thereof 15 and 16 bent upwardly to form hangers 17 and 18 respectively.

A conventional low-cut overshoe 19 is shown in phantom placed on one area of rack 10 in a toe downward position. Since the toe portion of overshoe 19 is heavier than the remainder then this position attends the most stability for the drying position of the overshoe and at the same time promotes good drainage of water.

A high-cut overshoe 20 is shown installed on the rack in the heel down position due to the greater portion of the mass being in the heel.

3,061,108 Patented Oct. 30, 1962 ICC A rubber or low-cut overshoe 21 is shown hung upon book 18 which is a third position which may be utilized if so desired.

Support members 11 have a parallel spacing adapted to allow close spacing of high-heeled overshoes thereon.

The spacing felt to be the most desirable would be that space occupied by the normally widest pair of high-heeled overshoes when placed side by side.

Upon being placed at this spacing the wires would there fore allow the high heel portion of the overshoe to pro trude through spaces formed in the open frame design and thus would assure that the overshoe would remain upright on the rack.

A substantially smaller spacing would result in some cases of the heel of one of the overshoes placed upon the rack coinciding with support member 11 and due to instability would necessitate moving the overshoe into the next free space thus wasting the area between the pair of overshoes.

Upper horizontal member 14 in addition to providing spacing means for support members 11, also assists in stiffening the angular deflection of support member 11 upon being subjected to a load.

The free ends 15 and 16 forming hangers 17 and 18 also may be used as carrying handles upon the rack being full with overshoes.

The slanting back to back arrangement of the areas upon which the overshoes may be placed is believed to be the most economical utilization of available space for the rack while still promoting good drainage of water and permitting free circulation of air for drying.

Support members 11 and horizontal members 12 may be fabricated from a wire material and further may have a protective coating applied thereto to prevent rusting and discolouration.

Rack 10 may be placed within a suitable tray 22 having a generally flat bottom 23 and vertical sides 24 whereby tray 22 will trap any unev-aporated water dripping from overshoes placed on the rack and thus prevent soiling of a floor surface upon which rack 10 is placed.

The length of rack 10 may be varied in order to accommodate several pairs of overshoes and further the racks may be combined in units if so desired.

The general design of the individual parts of the invention as explained above may be varied according to requirements in regards to manufacture and production thereof, while still remaining within the spirit and principle of the invention, without prejudicing the novelty thereof.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclu sive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An overshoe rack comprising a plurality of inverted V support members having lower leg portions, a plurality of horizontal members, said horizontal members adapted to hold in fixed spaced apart, parallel relationship said support members, secondary support members secured to the lower leg portions of said support members at an angle thereto, said support members, said horizontal members, and said secondary support members thereby forming a rack having a generally prismoidal configuration, the uppermost of said horizontal members having free ends formed upwardly to provide hook means.

2. An overshoe rack comprising a plurality of inverted V support members having lower leg portions, a plurality forming a rack having a generally prisrnoidal configuration, the uppermost of said horizontal members having free ends formed upwardly to provide hook means, said support members, said horizontal members, and said secondary support members being formed from a wire material, said wire material being coated with a corrosion and stain resisting covering.

3. An overshoe rack comprising a plurality of inverted V support members having lower leg portions, a plurality of horizontal members, said horizontal members adapted to hold in fixed spaced apart parallel relationship said support members, secondary support members secured to said lower leg portions of said support members at an angle thereto, said support members, said horizontal members and said secondary support members thereby forming a rack having a generally prismoidal configuration, the spacing of said support members being adapted to match the space occupied by a substantially large pair of highheeled overshoes, and the uppermost of said horizontal members having free ends formed upwardly to provide handle means.

4. A rack for supporting overshoes comprising in combination, a plurality of spaced-apart parallel inverted V- shaped members having ground engaging lower leg portions, a plurality of spaced-apart horizontally extending parallel members adapted to secure said V-shaped members in said spaced-apart parallel inverted relationship, and laterally extending support means inclinedly mounted on said lower leg portions, said horizontally extending support members including an uppermost member adapted to engage an adjacent surface of an overshoe, said inclined support means being adapted to engage an adjacent extremity of said overshoe, whereby said overshoe is held spaced-apart from the ground, said plurality of inverted V-shaped members includes two end inverted V-shaped members and said uppermost of said horizontally extending members project substantially horizontally beyond said end members, said uppermost members being further characterized in being terminally upwardly turned to provide hook means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,916,150 Bell Dec. 8, 1959 OTHER REFERENCES Washington Post, page 17M, June 24, 1951, Washington, D.C. 

